Only Mine
by codegal
Summary: Sequel to Only you: There's a new horrific evil in Tokyo. The scouts are once again needed to face this evil, but can they withstand it? And will Darien's love for Serena be enough to save her, or will she too, lose her life, like many before her...
1. Chapter One

Title: Only Mine

Author: codegal

Rating: Pg-13, but may go up in later parts…

Disclaimer: No, I do not own SM.

Summary: There's a new horrific evil in Tokyo. The Scouts are once again needed to face this evil, but can they withstand it? Will Darien's love for Serena be enough for her to hang onto the edges of sanity, or will she too, lose her life, like many before her…

Author's Note: This is a sequel to the fic, "Only You." Thanks to the support of everyone who has reviewed the story and requested for more. This is a darker fic then its prequel, and definitely much longer, that's why I've decided to write it up in instalments. Here's the first one…

~*~*~*~*~*

Only Mine – part one

(Darien's p.o.v.)

She's sleeping now. 

Her face is so incredibly innocent. I guess if I ever wanted to know what an angel looked like, I'd have my answer right in front of me. We had talked for hours, talked about nonsensical things and about matters of the heart. She cried a lot, when I told her how she made me feel.

God, I'm such an idiot. I didn't realise that I should've told her all those things before. I didn't realise that she'd still be upset over the fact that I had 'dumped' her, regardless of my intentions to save her. 

I closed my eyes and pulled her closer in my arms, my throat working as I recalled what she had said to me earlier. 

**_"_****_Darien_****_, do you love me?"_**

****

God. Can I be an even bigger bastard? The fact that she has to ask me that sort of question, it just tears me up inside. You know, I meant every single word that I told her before. Every single one of them. She's just so unbelievably incredible that I can't believe she's mine. Only Mine.

I know I don't show her enough. I know I don't. I'm gonna change that from here on out. I'm gonna – 

"Hey."

Serena just woke up. I draw her back a little to gaze into her face. 

Damn.

Remember when I said that she makes my brain go soft, and my legs feel weak? Well, it's happening again. I'm literally struck dumb by her beauty. 

"Hey, darling. Are you feeling okay?"

Serena gives a sleepy smile; one that makes my heart beat just a slight beat faster, and nods her head. "Yeah. I feel kinda silly now though, the way I cried all over you. It --"

I place a finger on her lips to stop her from going on. 

"It was okay, darling. You can cry on me anytime. What good is there of having a boyfriend if you can't cry on them every once in a while, huh?"

She gives another one of her soft smiles. Then stretches. Damn, I think she does that on purpose sometimes. The glint in her eye tells me she's aware of what she's doing. The vixen.

"You're so good to me, Darien. Not to mention, warm."

"Hmmph."

~*~*~*~*~*

"You look happy today. What's up?"

Serena turned and beamed a smile at Mina, who had asked the question. "Me and Darien have come to a better understanding of each other."

Mina, Lita, Amy and Raye all shared a smile. 

"Ah, so all is well in paradise, I presume?" Lita asked, clearly amused at the situation.

Serena nodded enthusiastically, "uh huh."

The girls laughter was cut off by the sound of their communicators. Serena fished out her communicator. "Hey, Luna. What's up?"

"Girls, hurry. We have a problem. Come to the park so we can talk." The scouts picked up on the slight tremor of fear that they had heard in Luna's voice. Each girl became serious. Frowning, Serena tried to give a re-assuring smile. 

"Alright, Luna. We're on our way."

~*~*~*~*~*

 The girl's all arrived at the park to see a worried looking Luna and Artemis pacing the grounds. All five girls gave each other uneasy looks before making their way forward to the cats. On sighting them, the cats stopped their pacing and waited til everyone was gathered.

"We have a bad situation on our hands." Luna began. "There have been girls gone missing in the past few days. There are a total of seven girls so far, that have simply disappeared from Tokyo." 

Exchanging a look with Artemis, she added, "And authorities have been unable to track the whereabouts of these girls."

"Who do you think could be behind all this?" Amy asked, her expression full of concern.

"So far no clues as to who could be behind it. But I have a feeling that we have a new enemy on our hands, girls." Artemis informed.

The girls all looked at each other worriedly, a silence forming over the group, each to their own thoughts. Serena wrapped her arms around herself and shivered, her breaths coming in short gasps. She couldn't shake off the feeling of dread that had suddenly swamped her, feeling as if her being was suffocating.

Noticing Serena's change of demeanour, Mina placed her hand on one of Serena's trembling arms. "Serena, are you ok?"

Braking out of her trance, Serena gave Mina and the others a shaky smile. "Yeah, I guess so. I just felt really weird for a few seconds, like something was trying to suffocate me or something."

The others looked at each other. Amy spoke up, "but you're okay now, aren't you."

Serena nodded, her smile strengthening. "Yeah, its-its okay."

Raye looked doubtful. "Are you sure? You still look kind of pale to me."

Serena held up her hands, as if to fend off her friends concerns. "Yes, trust me. I'm okay."

"Alright then. We'll meet later to talk more about this situation as soon as Luna and I find out more." Artemis announced, bringing the meeting to an official end.

Nodding, the girls gave final farewells before going their own ways, with Mina taking Artemis and Serena taking Luna.

~*~*~*~*~*

"Ok, Luna. Spill it."

"Spill what?"

"What you conveniently forgot to mention when we were all together back there."

The cat paused before feigning indifference. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Serena cast a glance at the black cat riding on her shoulder. She spoke quietly, "I know there's something more to the story. I could see it in your eyes, there was something that you and Artemis had probably agreed beforehand not to tell us. What was it?"

Luna sighed loudly. "Serena, I really don't want to tell you. Its truly horrific and I don't want to burden you with it just at this moment."

"Luna, what's the use of me being Sailor Moon, if you cant trust me enough to confide in me?"

"Its not that I don't trust you, its just, Serena, its really horrific. Are you sure you want me to tell you?"

"Well, Luna. If I'm gonna end up saving these girls, I might as well know their whereabouts."

There was a moment of silence before Luna spoke up, her voice quiet and full of sorrow. "I'm afraid you wont be able to save them."

Confused, Serena turned to face Luna. "What do you mean? Where are they."

"Dead, Serena. This monster killed them. Artemis and I were there when the authorities found them. They were killed in what seems to be some ritual killing. Serena, these girls, they had all their blood drained from them."

"Oh, God!"

"In addition to that, the girls were then draped on trees, much like the position of a person who had been crucified. They all bore the wounds of a crucifixion."

The feeling of suffocation overcame Serena again, this time stronger. Gasping for breath, Serena fell to her knees, before passing out on the sidewalk.

~*~*~*~*~*

Serena woke up hours later to find herself in a room. Moonlight filtered in through the slightly opened blinds. The sound of a shower running sounded from a room nearby. Sitting up in the bed, Serena ran her hands over the covers.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, Serena slid from the bed, noticing the too long sweat pants and large males singlet she was sporting. Smiling softly, she knocked timidly on the bathroom door before walking in.

"Darien, I was wondering where you went."

Darien popped his head out from the shower stall, his hair dripping water into his eyes. "Hey, darling. How are you feeling?"

"A lot better now that I've seen you." Leaning in to kiss his wet face, Serena laughed. "Go on and finish your shower. I'll just go make myself a cup of coffee. Do you want any?"

Smiling, Darien nodded. "Yeah. Make sure you get straight back into bed, ok?" Popping his head back into the shower stall, Serena caught a glance at his firm butt before the door slid shut.

Blushing furiously, she made her way to the kitchen, where she found an already warm pot. Making both her and Darien a cup of coffee each, his slightly darker then how she liked it, she made her way carefully back into his bedroom, placing the steamy cups on the bedside drawer.

She was just crawling into bed, when Darien exited the bathroom, dressed in pyjama bottoms, and drying his hair with a towel. Pausing a moment to stare at him, she was suddenly filled with love for him. Smiling at him when he strode over, she pulled back the covers, and patted the vacant bed.

Grinning, Darien complied, while passing her her mug. Taking a steady sip of his own, he then placed the mug back on the bedside drawer before wrapping his arm around a happy Serena.

"How are you feeling, Serena? Really. And don't bother lying, cause you do a bad job of it." Darien paused before adding, "Luna told me all about it."

Placing her mug back on the bedside drawer, she drew up her knees and hugged them. Leaning into Darien's warmth, she closed her eyes, the previous feeling of suffocation lingering on the edges of her mind. She shivered.

Her mind was going haywire and her instincts screaming at her that something was going to happen. Something bad. On seeing her distress, Darien drew her into his lap, both his arms wrapping tightly against her shivering form. Stroking her arms, he murmured into her hair.

"Honey, don't worry. I'll be there, and I'll take care of you. I'll never let anything happen to you."

Serena closed her eyes and placed her own arms around Darien's waist, burying her head into Darien's warm chest. "I know that, Darien. Its just that-that what happened to those girls. So—"

Rocking her slightly, Darien shushed her. "Don't think about it, darling. I'm here for you. I'll protect you."

Serena thought for a moment before looking up into eyes that held so much love and warmth. God, how she loved him. Loved him so much. "I know you will, Darien. I know you will."

~*~*~*~*~*

AN: Okayz, that's the first part. *takes a deep breath* Whew, that took me longer to write then I had anticipated. Anywayz, your reviews are much appreciated, so bring them in. 

To be Continued…


	2. Chapter Two

**Title:** Only Mine  
  
**Disclaimer:** No, I do not own Sailor Moon sobs  
  
**Special Thanks to:** Chibi-Chichan, Karla and Lindel =} Thanks a bunch, guys...  
  
**Author's Notes:** My DarienMuse wasn't being really helpful on this part, so if it isn't really good, blame it on him. Some grossness up ahead, not a lot, but still gross. I promise to make the next part really foofy between Darien and Serena to make up for it... Anywayz, here's to hoping I've done an alright job!! Lolz... enjoy peoplez...

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**Only Mine – Part Two.**  
  
"Hey, do you have a lighter?"  
  
Holding out a cigarette, the overly made up girl shifted her weight to her other leg, her left hip cocked to the side. Tapping the toe of her boot, she lifted an eyebrow at the man.  
  
"Well?"  
  
The man smiled, his yellowed teeth showing. The girl shivered. There was something about the man that didn't sit well with her. Shifting uneasily, she placed the unlit cigarette back into her mouth and backed away slowly.  
  
In a move that was too fast for her to see, the man, caught her hair in his fist, yanking her head back and exposing her delicate throat.  
  
"Where you going? I still have to light your cigarette."  
  
The girl screamed.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"I'm ready."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"I'm ready for whatever evil there is out there. I'm ready to take them on."  
  
Darien smiled and draped an arm over one of Serena's shoulders. "That's good then. I bet the negaverse won't know what hit them."  
  
Giggling, Serena wrapped an arm around Darien's waist. A peaceful silence settled over the two, each to their own thoughts. Glancing ahead to her house, Serena was shocked to see a police car parked in her driveway.  
  
A cold feeling came over her.  
  
Breaking away from Darien's grasp, Serena sprinted towards her house, with Darien close on her heels. Reaching the front porch, she pushed open the front door, all the while calling out her parents' names.  
  
Bursting through the door, Serena came to a halt as she took in the scene before her. Her parents were seated on the family sofa, with a police officer sitting opposite to them. At the sight of her, all three got to their feet, her mother crying in obvious relief.  
  
"Serena, where have you been? I've been so worried! I just—"  
  
Her mother broke off into tears. Glaring, Serena's father wrapped his arm around his wife, consoling her. "Serena, you and I will have a big talk after this."  
  
Turning to the police officer, he gave an apologetic expression. "I'm sorry to have wasted your time, officer."  
  
The officer smiled, and shook Mr Tsukino's hand. "No problems. I'll just see myself out. Have a good night."  
  
Serena trembled as she stood by the door, her gaze cast at the ground. She clasped her hands together as she waited for the eruption to occur. She didn't have to wait long.  
  
"Serena! Where have you been? Your mother and I have worried ourselves sick over you! It's two in the morning and you're now just coming home? What have you been doing since the finish of school?"  
  
Serena, while still gazing at the floor, tried to come up with a plausible explanation. She couldn't well tell her parents that she'd spent the last couple of hours at Darien's apartment, now, could she.  
  
Her mother's voice penetrated her thoughts. "Serena, if anything has happened, or if you are involved in anything, you must tell us. Don't be afraid."  
  
Serena's head snapped up, and she looked at her parents as if they were crazed. "Nothing's going on. I'm not involved in anything or doing anything wrong. Why would you think that?"  
  
"Hey, Serena. You, okay?"  
  
All three people turned to stare at the person in the doorway. Serena smacked her forehead while cursing under her breath. Darien gave a sheepish look.  
  
"Uh, hi."

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It was cold.  
  
The teenage girl came awake, her ears picking up slight murmurings in the background, an almost chant-like sound. Blinking awake, the girls' vision slowly came into focus.  
  
She screamed.  
  
Standing over her, was three hooded men, their faces hidden from the girl's view. Almost immediately, the girl struggled to get up, only to find that her efforts were futile as her wrists and ankles were tied, opening her body.  
  
Lifting her head, she tried to make out her surroundings. Shadows shifted through the room along with the flickering lights of many candles. She could see herself in a glass mirror that was on the far side of the wall.  
  
She was naked.  
  
There was blood covering her body, blood of which she was sure wasn't hers. Numbness threatened to overwhelm her, and the urge to escape screamed through her. She once again struggled with the ropes that were holding her hostage.  
  
The sound of a door opening caught the girl's attention. Glancing around the room, she noticed for the first time, the hooded figures that surrounded her. It seemed to her that she was on some kind of dais. The feeling of escape intensified within her, and she struggled helplessly with the straps.  
  
"Its pointless to struggle. "  
  
The girl screamed, and her mouth was immediately filled with a type of liquid.  
  
Spitting it out, the girl gave another horrified scream, as the remaining drops of blood dripped from her lips. It was then that her nude form was covered with hands, so many of them, wiping up the blood from her body.  
  
She caught glimpses of faces, all of them laughing, held in a trance.

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Serena sat next to Darien quietly, their hands linked in support of each other.  
  
Her parents sat opposite them on the family couch, both of them looking quite shocked. Her mother especially, Serena noted, looked a little pale. Glancing up at Darien, she tried a reassuring smile. It came out weak.  
  
Serena's mother spoke up. "Ho-how long have you two been together?"  
  
Serena and Darien both looked at each other, before Serena answered, "almost a year."  
  
Serena's father shook his head. "Serena, I just don't understand. Why didn't you tell us? And you could've at least gave us a phone call last night so we wouldn't overly worry about you."  
  
Serena sighed. "I know, I know. I forgot and I'm sorry for causing you to worry."  
  
Both parents sighed warily. Serena's father glanced at the clock and grumbled. "Its three o'clock in the morning, I haven't had my coffee, I haven't been to bed and I've got work at eight." Pausing, he regarded the couple seated opposite them silently before addressing them.  
  
"We will talk first thing tomorrow when I get back from work. For now, lets all get some rest before I slip into a coma at work from lack of sleep."  
  
At once, Serena and Darien jumped to their feet and bid both parents good night, watching them ascend the stairs, their slow steps a telling sign of how tired they really were. Left alone, Serena walked Darien to the door.  
  
"Well, at least we'll have til tomorrow to deal with them. I'm sorry for this, Darien."  
  
Shaking his head, Darien lifted Serena's hand to his lips and silently pressed a kiss into it. He looked into her eyes and gave murmured, "I'll be here tomorrow at about four, after school. Goodnight, Serena."  
  
Sighing, Serena returned the farewell and watched him make his way back down her street, before locking the door and making her own way to bed.

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The girl watched as the hooded figure approached her. Breathing hard and fast, she gave one last frantic struggle against her bonds. Somehow she knew that this would be the last breath that she would draw.  
  
Images of her life flashed before her. It was amazing, how in times of grief, the mind sorted out a more peaceful place to dwell. Her mind settling on her ninth birthday, the girl's gaze clouded over.  
  
Remembering the happy time that she had, the girl didn't feel the cool touch of the knife on her throat. Neither did she feel the spill of blood, which gushed out from her neck.  
  
Gurgling, the girl took one last breath, her lungs quickly filling up with blood. In that final moment, she blew out her candles.

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Serena gasped, sitting up in bed.  
  
Breathing hard, she pulled away her moon and stars blanket and slipped out of her bed. Making her way to her window, she shifted the curtain to look outside. The night was pitch black, the moon's rays covered.  
  
Her mind replayed the flashes of images that she had seen several minutes earlier. She fell to her knees, no longer able to stand through the onslaught of horrific images. Breathing hard, she took one glance out the window.  
  
She knew, without a doubt, that evil had struck again.

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Whew! Glad that's done with. R and R as always...


	3. Chapter Three

**Title: **Only Mine

**Disclaimer: **see other chapters

**Special Thanks To: **Karla, angel, jamesstutz, angelicremix, SMAngel21190, shorteemoi and Purple Psycho.

**AN: **Ok, I can't believe that it's been a little over 3 and a half years since I last looked at this fanfic… I take full responsibility for neglecting this poor fic and hope that this chapter makes up for the past three and a half years of not writing... however, keep in mind that I'm writing this at work during my down time :)

--

**Only Mine – Part Three**

Serena was quiet as she got ready for school, and for the first time in forever, Luna didn't even have to wake her up. Nor did she have to yell at her once. This led Luna to believe that something was severely wrong with her. Watching her suspiciously from her perch on the bed, Luna could no longer hold back the questions that were all but bubbling out of her mouth.

"Who are you and what did you do with Serena?"

The woman in question looked up, their gazes meeting in the mirror. A faint smile touched her lips before being replaced by a withdrawn, solemn look. Concerned, Luna asked, "What's wrong?"

Serena, quiet for the moment, continued with the monotonous brush strokes before replying in a quiet voice, "I had a dream last night. Well, more of a nightmare then a dream. It was just flashes of horrific images but I know for sure that evil has struck again."

Luna leapt off the bed and made her way over to Serena's feet. Laying her brush aside, Serena scooped her long time friend into her arms, holding her close to her bosom. "Oh, Luna. It was the most horrendous thing. There were these hooded figures. The girl, the poor girl, they killed her. Then they tasted her blood."

"They tasted her blood? How odd. I have known the Negaverse to do some very evil things but to go as far as what you have told me makes me wonder. Serena, we may have a completely different battle on our hands. This may not be the work of the Negaverse."

Serena cocked her head to the side. "But if it isn't them, then who can it be."

Luna shook her head and grimaced. "I'll have to go over it with Artermis. But for now, I have absolutely no clue. And it's the not knowing that scares the living daylights out of me."

--

"Are you sure Serena wasn't just having a nightmare?"

"I'm quite sure, Artemis. It seems to be that there has been another victim of those brutal ritual killings. We need to get to the bottom of this before the killings escalate."

"I understand, but for one thing, we don't even have a clue where to start looking. I've never seen anything like this before and my gut tells me that the negaverse aren't behind this at all. Not to mention the fact that the authorities are baffled about this mystery as well. All the local cults in the area have been checked and there seem to be no hits on any of those organizations."

"Well, I can't just sit around and do nothing, especially now since Serena's being plagued with these 'dreams' of hers."

"Well, why don't we hit the streets and start looking around?"

--

"You ready?"

Serena took a deep breath and looked up into the brown eyes of the one that she loved so much. Taking his hand into her hand, she squeezed it before lifting it up and cradling it to her cheek. "I guess, though with you beside me, I'm ready for anything."

Moved and humbled by her words, Darien framed his beloved's face with his hands and dropped his forehead to hers. "What did I ever do to deserve you?"

A smile touched Serena's lips before it trembled and disappeared all together. "Well, we better go in and see what my parents say."

With her hand in his, they entered into the Tsukino household, making their way into the living room where Serena's parents sat waiting for them. Serena chanced a quick look at her father and winced at the stern look on his face. The silly smile on her mother's face, however, reassured her nerves somewhat.

The couple separated and seated themselves on the two available arm chairs that were positioned at an angle to face the couch indirectly, though on opposite sides of the room. Without Darien's comforting presence beside her, Serena shivered with cold, not to mention with the loss of contact between their bodies.

Silence enshrouded them for a few moments before Ken Tsukino spoke up. "Exactly how long have you been seeing each other?"

Serena and Darien shared a glance before turning back to face the parents. Darien answered Ken's question. "Officially, it's been almost a year. Just shy of two months."

Ken's eyebrows rosed a notch. "And unofficially?"

Serena gave Darien a dazzling smile and answered for the both of them, "it seems as if it's been forever."

Ken cast a concerned glance at his daughter before turning to his wife, Ellen, who seemed to be oblivious to the obvious dangers that his daughter was now in. "Clearly, our daughter has been brain washed."

Two outraged gasps filled his ears, before he felt his loving wife pinch his arm. "Ken! Really, how rude can you be?"

"Elle, what else am I suppose to think when my daughter acts like some love-sick puppy over a guy that she has never introduced us to, and for all that we know, is something other than he has lead our daughter to believe?"

Elle glanced at Serena worriedly. "Well, dear, your father does have a point."

"Daddy, I know that it was lousy of me to be seeing Darien without letting the both of you know about him or our relationship, but please give me the credit of having the commonsense to avoid weirdos and cult-goers! And I'm NOT brainwashed!"

Silenced reigned for a moment before Darien spoke up quietly, "Mr. Tsukino. I apologise for not making my intentions clear to both you and Mrs. Tsukino earlier, but I would like to make amends and start over new. I would like to take this opportunity to ask for your permission to court your daughter."

Ellen and Serena both looked at each other, squeals of delight piercing the air. With a grin from ear to ear, Ellen nudged her husband meaningfully, letting him know that she agreed whole heartedly to the idea of such a nice and polite young man courting her only daughter. Ken shook his head and muttered under his breath, "You're so easy. A few nice words and you're ready to give your daughter away."

Still smiling, Ellen nudged him again, before rubbing her cheek lovingly against his shoulder. Ken, knowing what she was up to, tried to steel himself against it, but after a few moments, gave into the warm feel of his wife's soothing touch. He leant close to her ear and whispered, "Not fair."

Ellen looked up and smiled, "I know. But you love me anyway."

A look of mirth filled his eyes. "You have no idea how much."

Serena rolled her eyes as she watched her parents make googly eyes at each other. Shaking her head, she cast a rueful glance at Darien, who was watching her parents, a small smile on his face. Her heart moved with a slow thud and warmth filled her inside, making her shiver with the knowledge that Darien was very much on-board with the idea of a loving marriage. A loving marriage with her, perhaps?

Shaking herself out of her fantasy, lovely as it was, Serena cleared her throat to catch her parent's attention, before indicating Darien with a nod of her head. Ken sat up straighter in his seat and cleared his throat as well. "Well, Darien, I accept your apology and grant you permission to see my daughter."

Serena and Ellen beamed with delight before both women went into the arms of their beloved.

--

They strolled through the park, hand in hand, both elated and overjoyed at the prospect of being able to see each other freely and openly. Looking up into the dark blanket of the night sky, Darien could see the moon shining overhead, bright and magnificent, traits that resembled closely to someone he knew. He grinned to himself as he thought this and lifted their entwined hands to his lips.

Serena smiled and gave a contented sigh, leaning into his side. "That went rather well, didn't it?"

"Yeah, I'm glad you're dad didn't pull out a shot gun after his 'he's brainwashing her' statement."

"Don't worry about Daddy. He's all bluster."

The couple continued their stroll, lulled into a contented silence. They were less than four hundred meters away from Darien's apartment when Serena paused abruptly, her muscles tensed beneath his hold. Darien stopped and looked at her face, noting the look of terror that flitted through her face. Immediately concerned, he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back in an effort to calm her down. "Serena, what's wrong?"

Serena shivered, her neck craning every which way, peering into the dark bushes that weren't illuminated by the park lamps. The hair at the back of her neck stood up on edge, and she couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched. "Darien, don't you feel it?"

"Feel what?"

Serena was silent a moment, her gaze continuing to dart from bush to bush. "It's here."

Darien quickly searched the surrounding areas. He couldn't pick out anything in the bushes, but who knew better than to doubt Serena's instincts. Ever so gently, he pulled her along, resuming their easy stroll down the pathway, his eyes darting to every possible hiding place. His apartment was a mere three hundred meters away now. All he had to do was make it there and ensure Serena was safe inside before he could come and investigate. He wasn't about to let his guard down.

Despite this, he wasn't quite ready when it sprung.

It was fast, deadly fast. Darien got no more than a quick glimpse of it; enough to tell it was definitely not of this world. Sharp claws swiped at them, and Darien shifted Serena around, so as to protect her from the blow. Pain seared his back as its claws made contact with his back, digging deep enough into the tissue that Darien couldn't hold back a pained groan.

Darien tried to ignore the pain, ignore the burning sensation on his back, ignore everything else that would stop him from keeping Serena away from danger. He turned to face the monster, shoving Serena behind his back. He felt the change in him, powered by the overwhelming urge to protect his mate. It wasn't long before he was staring down his opponent behind his mask.

His opponent was a hunched back creature, its skin covered in an abundance of blisters and sores, some open and oozing. It bared its teeth, revealing the fact that his were stained, pointy and had several rows of them. A dark liquid dripped from its teeth, its mouth and dropped to the concrete pavement. Darien stopped breathing as he recognised that dark liquid.

Blood.

The monster cocked its head at him, before it gave a low, menacing growl, a growl which seemed to reverberate throughout the whole park. That was all the warning Darien received before it sprang again, lashing out with its claws.

Darien quickly feinted to the right, avoiding its claws and bent low, shoving his shoulder into its mid section. They fell to the ground, with Darien on top of the monster. It snarled, its claws lashing out again with success, catching Darien both on his forehead and on the side of the neck. Quickly, Darien moved to subdue it, taking hold of both arms and wrestling its appendages down to the ground.

It struggled fiercely within Darien's grasp. Darien held on determinedly, silently figuring out his next move. His hold on the creature wasn't going to last long, and he didn't know what else to do, save from launching an assault on the monster with his cane, which Darien thought was going to go well for all of two seconds.

All of a sudden, the monster reared its head back, and spat a warm substance into Darien's face. He had enough time to close his eyes, before a sharp pain lanced through his skull from his forehead. Disorientated, he slumped to the side, wiping frantically at his face with his gloves, knowing that the monster was now free to attack Serena.

He managed to swipe most of it from his face before staggering to his feet. By the time his eyes focused to his surroundings, his beloved was already facing the creature, the uniform of her skirt swishing in the slight breeze of the night, her sceptre gripped with two hands in front of her, her gaze steady, not moving from the enemy.

No, Darien thought. As much as his mind realised the responsibilities tied to the heavy burden that the sailor scouts and he carried, his heart refused to recognise it, to recognise the necessary dangers that Serena constantly threw herself head long into to keep the citizens of Tokyo safe. He moved forward, intent on drawing the attention of the monster towards himself, to keep it away from Serena for as long as he can so she could get to safety.

At the same time, the monster leaped forward, its claws extended and aimed towards Serena's throat. An outraged yell burst out of Darien's lips, and he sprinted forward, trying to get to his beloved's side. Mere moments before the creatures attack could connect, a bright white light burst forth from the sceptre, hitting the creature square in the face. Darien shut his eyes, turning his face from the radiating light.

Then, almost as suddenly as it began, it cut off, flooding the park into the darkness against, the overhead park lights a paltry light compared to the brilliance of the moon sceptre. Darien opened his eyes to see Serena kneeling on the ground, the moon sceptre lying by her side, seemingly forgotten.

He rushed over to her side and drew her trembling form into his arms. Sweat drenched her body and she was breathing hard, her eyes closed, trying valiantly to regain her energy. Darien pulled her tighter, murmuring into her hair while he rocked her against himself. When it seemed as if her body was finally getting over the strain that it had been through, Darien gently pulled her into an upright position.

It was then that the smell hit them. The acrid smell of burnt flesh filled the air around them. Darien looked around for any sign of the creature that they had been fighting, but could find nothing pertaining to it except for a few ashes on the concrete pavement.

A rustle in the nearby bushes put Darien on high alert again, but sagged with relief when Serena's two guardian cats burst out, quite out of breath. "We got here as fast as we could." Luna panted, drawing near to Serena's die, her concerned gaze taking in her tired form and drowsy state.

"We've been following that creature for a few minutes this evening," Artemis added. "And then all of a sudden, it took off, in this direction. It wasn't until we had cleared the lining of the trees that we could see the fight between the three of you."

He broke off before gazing at Serena with awe. "That was some display of power, Serena. I'm impressed."

Serena gave a tired, small smile. "It hurt Darien. I couldn't let it get away with it."

Darien brushed his lips over her hair, before rising to his feet, bending over at the same time to lift Serena into his arms. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leant into his chest, closing her eyes with contentedness. Darien smiled, murmuring, "I think its time I got this lady home. It's not good for her to be out this late on a school night."

"Good idea. Time to get some rest before we let the others know about what happened tonight." Luna agreed.

Artemis looked back at the pile of ashes, ashes that were already being lifted and blown away in the gentle breeze of the night. He shuddered before turning back to the others. "It's definitely time to hold a meeting. We need to prep our girls about this new danger, and we need to do it fast."

--

Whew. Glad thats done. R R as always guys ;) See you in the next part!


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